


swim in the midst of a galaxy

by fifty-one sunsets (idyleski)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Childhood Friends, Chinese Mythology & Folklore, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Soul Bond, super super background renmin, there is a battle with monsters (but it's not that serious)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-17 02:02:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29463948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idyleski/pseuds/fifty-one%20sunsets
Summary: Jisung is a scared child.Chenle only ever appears when Jisung's alone and terrified. Most of the time, this ends up being in the middle of the night when Jisung's mind won't stop racing. One moment Jisung will be shaking underneath the covers, the next a familiar voice will giggle in his ear, cold toes pressing up against his legs. Chenle always makes fun of Jisung for being scared of the dark but still, he spends every night talking and talking until Jisung drifts off to sleep.or: Chenle is Jisung's not-so-imaginary imaginary friend.
Relationships: Park Jisung/Zhong Chen Le
Comments: 10
Kudos: 77
Collections: Love Dream 2020





	swim in the midst of a galaxy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ardouring](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ardouring/gifts).



> to my recipient: this is my first time participating in a soley nct (dream) exchange and for that i am glad and grateful!! hopefully you'll like this ;; and congrats on participating/finishing this exchange as well :3
> 
> to my prompter: this kind of style/genre is rather new for me so i can only hope i did it well... ty for giving me such a wonderful opportunity to write chensung even if i ran away with the prompt a bit (；・∀ ・) anyways i hope you enjoy!!
> 
> to claire: thank you for allowing me to drag you into this exchange then LITERALLY listening to me complain every day for two months and watched as i worked on everything but this fic. honestly youve put up with so much of my whining TT__TT and a huge shoutout to rei who helped me whip this fic/inconsistencies into shape esp on such a short notice ;~; i am forever grateful <3333
> 
> title taken from txt's runaway

Jisung is a scared child.

When he was born, he wouldn't stop crying for hours and hours. Every time someone approached him, he'd stare at them with wide, terrified eyes, following their every movement. Later, when he developed motor skills, he'd flinch at the slightest footstep. It took him months to stop twitching when his parents came to pick him up, even longer for him to become comfortable in their arms.

Fear grips Jisung's heart like an iron fist. He jumps when the door closes too loudly in class, always bruising his knee on the desk. When Donghyuck thought it would be funny to cover his eyes one day and shout "guess who?", Jisung wailed so loudly the elementary school principal thought it was a banshee lamenting someone's tragic death.

Out of all things, the dark frightens Jisung the most. Every night, shadows lurk in the corner of his room with their hidden teeth. Every time he lowers his blankets, he's afraid something will attack him, rip him to shred with its fangs. The fear paralyzes Jisung and it isn’t until his parents get an exorcist _and_ a witch to set up spells that Jisung is finally able to sleep with just the night light in his room. (It's a Pikachu night light, gifted to him from Jaemin and Jeno after they pooled together their allowances.) Even so, he still has a hard time falling asleep most nights, usually succumbing to the heavy weights on his eyes when he's thoroughly exhausted himself.

Like right now, Jisung has his blanket over his head, a soft yellow glow in his bottom right vision. His entire body quivers as he repeats a familiar mantra: _The dark isn't scary. The dark isn't scary. The dark isn't scary_. He tries to remind himself that there's nothing in the shadows, his bed has wards, his room has wards, and there's the talisman Donghyuck made that he _insisted_ would prevent anything from slipping into Jisung’s dreams when he finally passed out into unconsciousness, cross his heart and hope to die.

If only Jisung had something to distract him, someone to talk to, anything to ease his mind off the constant black shadows residing in his room.

"You're trembling," a voice says next to him. "What's got you so scared?"

Jisung almost screams.

A hand quickly clamps over his mouth.

"Wait, don't scream. Please. I don't think my eardrums can handle it," the boy says. He looks about Jisung's age, eyes wide and innocent framed by dark bangs.

Jisung's mouth is still wide open and he can feel his vocal cords vibrate but still, no sound comes out. The hot air bounces back onto his face. Quite frankly, it's disgusting. This is what convinces him to stop screaming. The boy sighs in relief when Jisung no longer struggles.

"Oh god, I didn't think that would happen. You're a really big scaredy cat, you know." The boy huffs.

Jisung, in all his eight-year-old glory, summons all the indignation from the soles of his feet to the top of his head and glares at the other boy. "You would scream if someone appeared in your bed in the middle of the night."

The boy rolls his eyes. "Yeah, but before that, your heart was _racing_! I thought it was going to explode and you were going to, like, die or something."

Jisung curls in on himself, trying to get as far away from the boy as possible. He ends up falling off his bed with a loud _thud_. Jisung's night light illuminates the boy's laughing face with perfect clarity. He looks almost otherworldly, not quite human. Like a fairy from Jisung's storybooks.

Jisung clambers back into the bed, no thanks to the boy's help, and the boy scooches back immediately for Jisung.

"What's your name? Or should I just call you Scaredy-cat?" The boy snickers.

"Jisung," he glowers. "What's yours?"

"Chenle," the boy, Chenle, grins.

“Who are you?” Jisung demands. He doesn’t remember anything from school on magical creatures about strange boys showing up at night. Unless they were fairies trying to play a prank. “Wait, what are you?”

“I’m human,” Chenle says and he almost seems offended that Jisung would think otherwise, “And I’m your friend.” Maybe Jisung shouldn’t be so trusting but there’s something about the way Chenle says _friend_ with such conviction that Jisung can’t help but believe him.

Now, the two of them sit on Jisung's bed without the covers drawn over their heads. It's not something Jisung is used to and it makes him feel naked, exposed. At least his firetruck pajamas are cooler than Chenle's Thomas the Tank Engine ones.

"So, Jisung, do you want to hear a story?" Chenle asks.

"Sure," Jisung mumbles, lying back down and drawing the covers to his chin. The sparkle in Chenle's eyes reminds Jisung of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. Jisung doesn’t see any pixie dust, though, so Chenle probably isn't Peter Pan. Neither does he seem lost.

"Okay, well, today..." Chenle begins, lying down next to Jisung and propping his head up with his hand. Jisung stares at Chenle, enraptured by every word. He stares and stares, watching the way Chenle's face twists and his eyebrows wiggle as he recounts his day. Eventually, Jisung's eyes grow dry and tired, the yellow glow from his Pikachu night light too much to handle.

The next morning, Jisung wakes up alone to an empty bed, without a sign that anyone else was ever there.

Chenle only ever appears when Jisung is alone and terrified. Most of the time, this ends up being in the middle of the night when Jisung's mind won't stop racing. One moment Jisung will be shaking underneath the covers, the next a familiar voice will giggle in his ear, cold toes pressing up against his legs. Chenle always makes fun of Jisung for being scared of the dark but still, he spends every night talking and talking until Jisung drifts off to sleep. Some nights, they'll converse until Jisung's throat turns hoarse and the next day, if Jisung is called on in class, he'll flush in embarrassment when his voice comes out all scratchy and raw.

Jisung's not sure why Chenle only appears when he's alone-- the most powerful and magical person in his family was his great-great-great grandfather, but no one now is really sure what exactly he could do anyways. His mother claims that he was just a glorified magician. So, Jisung doesn't think he's summoning any spirits (is that even possible? Donghyuck certainly can't do so and he's the most magical person Jisung knows) and he's not interesting enough that any magical creatures would want to visit him.

After Chenle's third visit, Jisung brings it up to Jaemin, who always listens to what he has to say and doesn’t actually mind when Jisung tags along to the convenience store with all the older kids. "That's cute," Jaemin remarks, bent over their makeshift rock castle. He’s focused on making the vines grow faster to bind the rocks together. "You now have an imaginary friend to help when you’re scared."

"He's not imaginary," Jisung insists, poking one of the rocks in the middle with his stick. It wobbles, nearly tipping over. At the very last second, it snaps back into place. Donghyuck's pebble towers don't ever budge, Jisung thinks glumly as he glances towards the tallest tower by the riverbank.

"Mmhmm," Jaemin says. It's the voice he uses when he thinks he knows so much more than Jisung just because he's two years older. Sometimes, it's awfully irritating. Jaemin's eyes cross as he placed another pebble on top. "Then explain why your friend never shows up when other people are around."

"I don't know," Jisung pouts. He draws his knees to his chest.

"It's okay to have imaginary friends, Jisung," Jaemin says, "You're still nine." Jaemin meets Jisung's eyes with an intense expression Jisung has never seen on anyone. _It's okay as long as it's for now. It's okay because I won't tell anyone else since I know that's what you're worried about._

"Yeah, whatever. I want to add a wall to our castle. We can make ours cooler than Donghyuck even if we can't beat his record." Jisung changes the subject. He doesn't like it when his friends treat him like a baby just because they're older.

Jaemin's words plant a seed inside Jisung's mind. Every time Jisung meets Chenle, the thought is there, but he never manages to muster up the courage to voice it. What if Chenle isn't part of his imagination and gets offended at Jisung's question and never comes back again? Then, Jisung will be left in the dark, alone again.

"Hey, earth to Jisung," Chenle snaps from above him. "Were you even listening to my story?"

"You were kind of boring so I just zoned out," Jisung lies, biting back the grin as Chenle flops dramatically onto his covers.

"Excuse me, I'm the one doing all the hard work here distracting you and you aren't even paying attention to me?" Chenle sighs dramatically.

"Sorry," Jisung says, "I'm listening now?"

"Yeah, you better be." Chenle immediately launches right back into where he left off, something about a trip underwater to see the merpeople.

Even if Chenle isn't real, would that really be so bad? Despite Chenle's boasting and the fact that he likes to try and frighten Jisung some nights, Jisung likes Chenle. He's never had a friend who understands that sometimes, he’d rather listen than talk. Chenle is a surprisingly good listener, and he always makes Jisung shy with embarrassment when he insists that Jisung should talk himself down less. Also, Chenle is the same age as Jisung. All of Jisung's friends are a couple of years older than him and they just don't _get it_. But Chenle understands and he helps Jisung feel less afraid.

Summer, Jisung decides, is better in theory.

The hours stretch into days and the days stretch into weeks. It makes Jisung's brain turn into mush, trying to fill the lackadaisical days with some semblance of structure only to end up passing time by lying on the ground. Jeno says it’s okay, that nothing is really expected to be done this summer even for those with extreme magical aptitude, but at least Jeno spent time at the animal shelter using his abilities instead of rotting away like Jisung.

"You're trying too hard to be cynical," Jaemin tells him as he thumps him on the head. "It's only been three days since you've graduated high school."

Jisung huffs, allowing Jaemin to drag him out to the ice cream parlor they frequented with the others, back before they left all left for university. After they left, Jisung found that despite his infinite love for ice cream, getting a cone to eat by yourself just wasn't the same. He tried working there for a bit too, since the thought of hanging out alone was unappealing, but then his anxiety got the better of him _and_ he wasn't even getting free ice cream out of it.

"It's been three days, so you should let me wallow and reminisce over my youth in peace," Jisung argues as he squints underneath the scorching midday sun. Damn, he really should have put on sunblock or something.

Jaemin ignores him, whistling some tune with a large smile on his face. A week ago he wasn't nearly this bubbly, literally exuding pheromones with every breath. Jisung thinks it has something to do with the Renjun that's featured in all of Jaemin's texts since his freshmen spring at university. Apparently, Renjun just started his summer job in the city right over.

By the time they arrive at the ice cream parlor, Jisung's certain he's turned two shades redder. The cold air of the store is a nice contrast on his skin, sweat immediately cooling into a sticky coat that's sure to be uncomfortable in half an hour. He fans himself, absently eyeing the menu for the weekly specials. The flavors are always unique but Jisung always ends up settling for one of three flavors.

He's too busy mulling over ice cream flavors and the monotony of life to notice the two new faces at the table. One is completely unfamiliar, but judging by the way Jaemin's eyes turn into literal hearts, it's most likely Renjun.

The other boy, finally noticing that Renjun and Jeno's attention has shifted, turns around. His hair is a bright orange that contrasts the pale blue walls of the shop. The boy’s eyes meet Jisung’s. A brief flash of surprise passes over the other boy’s face but it disappears so quickly Jisung thinks he's imagined it.

The face is familiar and unfamiliar both at once. All of a sudden, Jisung is nine and small and terrified. He's nine and scared and under the covers, exchanging whispers with a boy that makes his fears disappear. He feels like he’s been doused in a bucket of ice.

"Why do you look like you've just seen a ghost?" Jaemin nudges Jisung, closing his dropped jaw for him.

"I-- I--that's," Jisung stammers. 

Jaemin snickers, "Didn't think you'd be that tongue-tied over a cute boy. Come on, I know your type."

"He's--"

"Well, good thing Renjun and Jeno can help you get acquainted with Chenle," Jaemin waggles his eyebrows, "Renjun and Chenle went to the same high school and he goes to the same university as Jeno. He’s also here for the summer, working nearby."

" _Chenle_?" Jisung shrieks. His heart is about to leap out of his chest for all the wrong reasons.

"That's me," Chenle says, small smile tugging on his lips. He shows no sign of recognition.

"You're supposed to introduce yourself, Jisung," Jaemin sighs when Jisung continues to gape at Chenle.

"Well, you kind of just did that for him," Chenle snickers. It's the same snort, the same crooked smirk-- all of it the exact same from what Jisung imagined in childhood. The only thing that's different is that some of the baby fat has melted from Chenle's face, but his eyes are just as mischievous as Jisung remembers.

The same pair of eyes meet Jisung's once more, full of mirth and yearning for adventure.

Jeno pinches the bridge of his nose, clicking his tongue as Jisung gets shot again in their game. "Can we go over this again? I'm not sure I'm following. Chenle is...your imaginary friend? But he's real?"

"He's the one who helped me sleep at night," Jisung explains. He frowns as he makes his character duck and roll, narrowly missing an onslaught of arrows.

"It sounds weird when you put it like that. God, couldn't you have gone to Jaemin? You always dump your teenage angst on him," Jeno huffs. A big bold _GAME OVER_ flashes on both of their screens.

"Jaemin's busy with Renjun," Jisung says, "And you were the one who begged me to play games with you." It's been two days since Jisung's initial meeting with Renjun and Chenle. He hasn't seen either of them since, even though Jaemin and Donghyuck had dinner with the two last night. See, Jisung has a Dilemma with a capital D.

"I didn't beg," Jeno mutters under his breath. He shakes his soda cup, ice rattling in the container. "As far as I know, Chenle isn't a ghost. Or spirit. He always pinches me and gets his boogers on me when I put my fingers on his nostrils."

Jisung pauses. "You still do that?"

Jeno sticks his fingers over Jisung's nostrils, cackling as Jisung attempts to shove him away without getting Jeno's germ-ridden fingers up his nose.

"He does come from a powerful family, though," Jeno muses, ignoring Jisung's affronted face. "They're a big deal in China or something. You know how it goes."

Jisung does know how it goes. Unlike the most people, who can only freeze a glass of water at best, Donghyuck came from one of those families, generations of witches and clairvoyants and healers and the likes. Usually, their kids spent their whole lives training and going to special classes outside of school to harness their skills. Donghyuck now goes to one of the most prestigious universities for magic users. Jisung's certain he'll end up being something big. The thought of Lee Donghyuck, the same kid who once cried because the convenience store ran out of Melona, becoming some bigshot cracks Jisung up.

"If you think that Chenle is your imaginary...whatever, why don't you just ask him?" Jeno suggests.

"I can't do that!" Jisung gasps.

"Why not?"

"It's _awkward_. What if he laughs at me?" Jisung argues. "You're asking me to dig my own grave!"

"Oh, Chenle will definitely laugh at you," Jeno answers without missing a beat. "Even if it is true. But he's nice, he'll just think it's funny."

"Thanks, hyung," Jisung says, flopping onto the floor to stare up at the ceiling. So much for Jeno, probably the most helpful person at this point, being able to solve his problems.

Chenle continues to occupy Jisung's mind for the entire week. Sometimes, when Jisung turns the corner he thinks he spots a mop of bright orange hair. When he's busy walking down the street, head buried in his phone, he'll glance up a crowded crosswalk and he thinks he spots a flash of a familiar smile and pair of twinkling eyes from his childhood and that day in the ice cream shop.

"Honestly? It just sounds like you have a crush," Donghyuck says sagely, focusing once more on the mysteriously bubbling liquid in front of him. It's hot pink and quite frankly, Jisung doesn't trust any kind of liquid that's unnaturally bright and neon. He trusts something that Donghyuck has brewed even less. Unfortunately, Donghyuck has bribed him with ice cream to be his personal guinea pig and lab assistant once again.

"I don't have a crush," Jisung huffs. That's rich, especially coming from Donghyuck.

"Awww, want me to set you two up?" Donghyuck purses his lips as he waves his hands over the mini cauldron. The viscous liquid gurgles, splattering hot pink onto Donghyuck's face. Honestly, Donghyuck probably did something to deserve that. Jisung can name at least ten instances in the past week.

"No, I‘d rather die than have you involved in my love life. How do you know Chenle anyway?"

"Gee, thanks," Donghyuck scoffs, "And he once went to the summer camp I went to in high school, _duh_."

"How was I supposed to know that?" Jisung asks.

"Remember those freak thunderstorms that one summer? Well, that was me and Chenle. More specifically Chenle but eh, it's all in the past." Donghyuck frowns as the hot pink turns into a dark red, quickly swiping through his phone and muttering underneath his breath.

That summer had been especially dreary. It had passed with various dance camps as it usually did for Jisung. He recalls how it'd been scorching hot in the morning like he was in the middle of the desert, then in the afternoons, black clouds would appear without any warning, practically flooding the streets with rainwater. He may or may not have still been scared of thunder and lightning back then. He may or may not still get scared now and hide under his covers with his baby blanket.

 _My head hurts from all your thinking_.

Jisung screeches, jumping up in his seat. A sharp pain shoots up his knee from where it hits the bottom of the countertop and his chair clatters to the floor. Donghyuck's head whips around.

"Did you hear that?" Jisung asks, heart still hammering in his chest. His eyes dart around and everything is still in place, minus the chair that's now on the ground.

"Hear what? You almost spilled my potion too, come on." Donghyuck tuts.

There's absolutely nothing out of the ordinary and nothing for Jisung to be afraid of. Donghyuck's house is one of the most heavily warded apartments in all of Seoul. If there were anyone or anything lurking, supernatural or not, it would have been taken care of long ago.

Jisung swallows his nervousness. "Nothing, don't worry about it." Still, he can’t shake the feeling that something, or rather _someone_ , is in the room with them.

Halfway back to his home, the presence of something else still lingers. Jisung can't help but feel as though something has its eyes on him, following his every move. The small streets and alleyways he's grown up walking past become intimidating. Jisung feels like he's five again, clutching his mom's hand for dear life as they cross the streets or walk past the large shadows.

This isn’t the first time he's felt someone's gaze on him these past few days. Jisung isn't sure when exactly it started; all he remembers is that the first time he felt it was the night after he met Chenle and Renjun. Sometimes that uncomfortable presence lingers in his mind, other times it recedes into the background, becoming imperceptible. Either way, Jisung has been on edge for a variety of reasons these past few days.

When he reaches the familiar oak door to his apartment, he exhales a sigh of relief. Finally, at home he can be assured that nothing too terrible will break in and attack him.

"Heya.”

"AH!" Jisung shrieks, stumbling backward as his arms flail aimlessly towards the source of the noise.

"Relax," a familiar voice says and warm hands come up to grip Jisung's forearms, "You've been so jittery this past week I can feel it from the next city over. I've had a raging headache from your constant inner turmoil."

Chenle still hasn't released Jisung's hands but there's an easy smile on his face. _He looks nice_ , a small voice says in the back of Jisung's mind and Chenle's grin widens. Jisung can feel his face grow warmer by the second. Embarrassment is hot and heavy in his mouth.

"How?" Jisung squeaks.

Chenle frowns, finally dropping Jisung's hands. "You mean you don't know?"

"Know what?" Jisung asks. He rubs the spots Chenle's hands just held, hot and burning.

"Oh, I thought you knew this whole time," Chenle says. "About our soul bond?"

"Soul bond?" It's Jisung's turn to frown. "What do you mean? I thought you were my imaginary friend because I was scared of the dark. That's why I got so spooked last week. Because you look just like him. As in my imaginary friend. Haha. I’m sure there are other kids who’ve imagined friends too..."

And there Jisung goes, running his mouth when he's nervous. He really needs to put a stop to that habit because Chenle is currently surveying him with a curious expression that makes him fidget anxiously. Jisung just knows he’s killed whatever decent impression Chenle had of him. Great, now not only does he look like a weirdo, but a _cute_ boy thinks he’s a weirdo.

"You're telling me that those pinches I gave you were imaginary?" Chenle asks incredulously, "The times you flicked me sure weren't. I had bruises the next day!"

"An active imagination?" Jisung offers sheepishly.

Chenle scoffs. He lunges forward, pinching Jisung's side. "Huh, you're less squishy than when we were kids. Do you have abs or something?" He moves on to poke Jisung's stomach, ignoring the way Jisung flinches. It's something the Chenle from before did constantly. Either to get Jisung's attention when he mistakenly believed Jisung's focus was wavering or just because he felt like it. "Oh, you do. Your cheeks still look squishy though?"

Jisung squirms underneath Chenle's probing gaze-- and finger. He's far too accustomed to his friends constantly stretching his cheeks in every direction possible. He'll never understand their fascination.

"Ouch, okay okay stop, _I get it_. You're real. Not my imaginary friend from when I was nine," Jisung swats Chenle's hands away, scrunching up his mouth in distaste. He slaps Chenle's shoulder for good measure.

Chenle looks at him, radiating smugness at Jisung's acceptance. "Wait, but seriously? You didn't know this whole time?"

"I thought you were someone that I just made up. Because I was scared of the dark."

"Yeah," Chenle snorts, "You were pretty terrified. But wait, if you never knew now I'm the one who feels like an asshole. I thought you didn't talk to me after you stopped being so scared because you didn't like me!"

This is new information to him. Shortly after the fear of the dark stopped clutching Jisung’s heart in a vice-like grip, Chenle stopped showing up. Jisung spent a week waiting and waiting, even plugging in his Pikachu night light in hopes the other boy would appear but it never happened. Nine-year-old Jisung never brought it up with anyone else, and thought that maybe Jaemin was right, maybe he did just make up an imaginary friend. Soon, Chenle became another forgotten memory from his childhood. 

Jisung peers at Chenle, his orange tufts of hair sticking in every direction. It’s strange, he hadn’t even known something was missing all these years but with Chenle staring back at him, familiar wide eyes, Jisung feels something click into place.

Soul bonds are one in a million. They’re rather finicky so society hasn’t quite found a way to capitalize on them yet. Most people don't have them and even for the rare cases of those who do, they almost never find out who the other person is. Rarely is their bond strong enough for them to actively communicate over it. In most cases, one side needs to have the magical aptitude for this. The few reports that exist seem to suggest that Fate is a funny thing; usually, the harder people try to find one another, the less likely they will find each other.

But here is Jisung, completely ordinary and boring, without so much as a spark of magic beyond the average person, with a soul bond. 

_I want to show you something_ , Chenle texts Jisung one day, at three in the morning. Chenle had only demanded for Jisung to exchange numbers in front of his apartment that day. Since then, they’ve exchanged some texts and have mostly met up when either Donghyuck or Jeno were with them.

 **jisung (3:08)** : kk but i have to teach the kiddos tomorrow  
**jisung (3:09)** : or today ig. shouldn't you be asleep lolol  
**chenle (3:17)** : i was doing...stuff  
**jisung (3:19)** : stuff meaning video games and not sleeping?  
**chenle (3:20)** : why aren't YOU asleep huh  
**jisung (3:25)** : i'm off thursday if that's cool  
**chenle (3:27)** : yep yep. nighty night  
**jisung (3:28)** : goodnight!!

The forest is teeming with all sorts of life that Jisung never noticed until now. The birds fill the air with their song and the cicadas add to the harmony, their buzzing creating a euphony of sorts. The trees are full of bursting, vivid greens. Several times Jisung spots patches of wildflowers and wild berries. A splash of deep, dark red here, an expanse of soft whites and yellows there.

They've been walking long enough for Jisung to work up a sweat, plain T-shirt from some summer camp clinging to his body in the most uncomfortable of ways. The straps of his backpack are starting to dig into his shoulders and Jisung can only hope he won't find rashes tomorrow morning. Chenle seems unperturbed; several times he pauses, holding up a hand for a lonesome butterfly or bumblebee to rest on. Some of the butterflies sparkle more than usual and Jisung wonders if they’re actually pixies or fairies of some sort. If it weren't for the fact that Chenle is also sweating buckets, it'd almost be like a scene from a Disney movie. Jisung tells Chenle as much and gets a tingling slap to his shoulder in retaliation. Still, as far as Jisung can tell, it seems like they're walking aimlessly. Chenle doesn't have a map and seems to change directions at his own whim.

Another hour passes and Jisung _swears_ this is the fifth time he's seen this tree. Or maybe all trees in the forest are just the same, with their gnarled roots and their abundance of branches. There's probably some dryad that would attack Jisung just for thinking that.

"We're here," Chenle announces, and Jisung bumps into his friend's back.

"Sorry."

They've arrived at a clearing of some sorts. There are fewer trees and underbrush here. In front of them is a small pond, no more than twenty paces wide. The water is absurdly clear-- Jisung can see the stones lining the bottom of the pond and the small black fish swimming around.

Chenle is hunched over the water's edge, absently twirling his fingers and causing amorphous shapes to rise and fall. Deeming it safe to approach, Jisung squats next to him, close enough so the tips of his shoes almost touch the clear water. He moves his index finger in slow circles and the water below him slowly begins to follow his motion. It's a small trick but it used to amuse him when he was a kid. He looks besides him and Chenle is smiling at him, sunlight shining on his face. Somehow, Jisung _knows_ that he's the one Chenle's smiling at, that he's the one causing Chenle's smile.

Jisung panics.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Jisung leans forward a bit too much. He ends up losing his balance, left hand flailing around and right hand plunging into the icy water. It sends a shock up through his body, awakening memories he had long forgotten.

_Careful you dumbass._

Jisung is face to face with the ripples in the pond, suspended by the collar of his shirt. He can feel his own breath fanning back into his eyes as he stares at his shifting reflection. Slowly, he's drawn backward until he's safely seated away from the water's edge. Chenle fixes him with his most unimpressed stare.

"Is this where we...?" Jisung gestures to the water.

"Yeah, it was." Chenle answers.

"I forgot about it until now," Jisung breathes. He curls his knees to his chest, staring at the bottom of the pond in wonder.

When Jisung was still afraid of the dark, there were times where he'd be plagued by nightmares. Sometimes, even with Chenle's presence, he'd still fall into a fitful sleep. Usually the next night he'd not only have Chenle to talk to until he grew tired but he'd also awaken in his dream to Chenle's mischievous grin.

In his dreams, there were no rules. In his dreams, it was easy to be brave and fearless with Chenle by his side. They'd run through meadows teeming with flowers, swim underwater with all different creatures, and soar through the sky. Often, once they’d tired themselves out, they would come to a pond-- this pond specifically. There, they'd try to weave crowns from the reeds, laughing as they talked about everything and anything, the grass falling apart in their hands.

"How'd you find this place?" Jisung inquires.

Chenle shrugs. "I didn't. Something just called and I followed it."

"So what you mean is that we could've found a dangerous beast instead of the pond because of your spidey senses," Jisung says dryly.

"Maybe."

"You're unbelievable," Jisung scoffs, flopping onto his back. He squints at the sun. Right now, after all that hiking, a nap sounds good.

Chenle grins, reaching over to cup Jisung's cheek. Jisung's face feels hot and his body lights aflame. "I'm right here. Come on, don't be a buzzkill. I want to ice skate."

"In the middle of the summer?" Jisung raises an eyebrow, allowing Chenle to tug him back into a seated position.

Chenle sighs, as though Jisung is the one being outlandish. He makes his way over to the pond, hand hovering above the water. A loud crack breaks the tranquility of the forest. Cold rises from the pond and Chenle gives Jisung a sheepish look.

"It's, like, my second time using this trick."

Jisung squints at the frozen pond. "Is it even safe to go on?"

"It's not like I _actually_ fell through that one time. Come on, it'll be fun," Chenle insists, forcefully dragging Jisung to the edge of the ice. Jisung tries his best to put up a fight but it was futile from the start. Chenle's smile is irresistible and Jisung has never felt so warm.

The summer is both too long and too short. The hours spent with Chenle in the following week are far too little and the hours spent away from him seem to stretch into an eternity. Jisung is all too aware of the countdown until both Chenle and Renjun leave for China. 

"Whatcha doing?" Jaemin asks, hooking his chin over Jisung's shoulder as he makes grabby hands towards his phone.

"Go away," Jisung whines. He uses his feet to shove Jaemin to the other side of the couch, pinning him in place.

Jisung doesn't even need to glance up to know that Jaemin has his signature pout on his face. It's a shame that Jisung is both immune and ten times cuter than Jaemin, otherwise the pout would work on him. Jisung texts a quick complaint to Chenle. The other boy's response is immediate. Jisung bites down on his smile, thumbs flitting across his phone as he sends a reply.

Jaemin narrows his eyes at him. There's a determined glint in his eyes. Jisung braces himself, pushing back against Jaemin's chest.

"I know you're texting Chenle, Jisungie," Jaemin says, honey dripping from his voice.

"And?" Jisung scoffs, "What of it?"

Jaemin places a hand on Jisung's knee, grinning wickedly. Jisung winces at the sharp sting, legs falling from where they were pinning Jaemin. It’s easy to let down his guard with Jaemin because he usually just concedes. He only fights when he wants something and he isn't above using dirty tricks when he's determined.

"So...? Want to tell me about it?" Jaemin asks.

Jisung scrunches up his nose in distaste. "Chenle's my friend. He's cool. I like spending time with him."

Since their visit to the pond, they've been exchanging messages more often. Jisung finds himself sharing dance videos from when he's bored in the studio or of the classes he helps teach. In return, Chenle sends him an abundance of pictures of how he spends his days. Sometimes it's a badly angled selfie of him eating lunch with Kun, his favorite family friend to annoy, who’s also a camp counselor now. Other days it's a potion he successfully brewed (more often he's messed it up and the cauldron is full of brown, viscous liquid) or a picture of him lying on the ground after training.

Of course, they can always communicate over their shared bond if either of them try hard enough. It usually gives Jisung a headache unless there's a strong emotion to latch onto. Besides, there's something exciting about seeing three small dots pop up in his messaging app right after Jisung hits send and his phone pinging at random spurts throughout the day.

"Just a friend, hm?" Jaemin asks, as though he knows something Jisung doesn't. "Want to explain why you agreed to go on all those carnival rides with him last week? You _never_ do that when I ask."

Jisung flushes, ears turning warm. "I just wanted to be nice. He's new around here."

It's technically not a lie. Chenle does know Jeno and Donghyuck, and they most definitely would have eventually agreed to be dragged onto every single ride at the local fair, but Jisung was standing right next to Chenle when he had turned around to ask with those big, round eyes.

Chenle has been at the forefront of Jisung's mind since he walked onto the frozen pond in the middle of the summer, grasping onto Chenle's hands like it was his only lifeline. It had been like Chenle imparted a piece of his soul. Jisung's heartbeat has never soared so quickly around someone before. Some days, he thinks his chest is about to burst from the pure excitement and joy. Every day with Chenle brings a new bout of exhilaration and leaves Jisung floating on the clouds. He never knew it was possible to be so exasperated with someone but also delight in seeing their mouth slowly stretch upwards in a smile meant just for him.

"Oh my god. I like Chenle."

Jaemin nods solemnly, patting Jisung’s back in consolation. "Now we're talking."

"What do you mean you don't want to go foraging and hunting monsters?" Chenle demands, "I think you'd be perfectly good at it."

Jisung swallows, trying to force his nervousness down his throat and into his stomach where it can hopefully get dissolved by the acid in there. It doesn't work.

Chenle pinches Jisung's arm. "You're going to have to speak up. I didn't hear what you just said."

" _I said,_ ," Jisung glares at Chenle pointedly, "I'm not special like you are." Jisung's grown up, no sudden magical aptitude manifesting. He's passed his basic charms and spells classes in school, the ones that they require for all kids no matter what kind of ability they possess. A requirement for a society where almost everyone has some magical ability. Jisung doesn't have any sort of specialty either. Not the same way Jaemin can coax any flowers to full bloom with a few caresses. Nor does he have Jeno's ability to communicate with small animals, usually household pets. No, Jisung's magical abilities are perfectly normal and uninteresting as far as they can go.

Chenle scoffs, leaning back onto his forearms. "That's the biggest lie I've ever heard."

"Chenle, your body literally adapts to breathe underwater. Even Donghyuck needs a potion for that."

The other boy rises, meeting Jisung's eyes with a level gaze. The intensity in his expression startles Jisung. He wants to play with the hem of his shirt, look down his shoes--anything really-- if it means he can avoid being stripped down to his very bones by Chenle’s gaze.

"What are you talking about? You're plenty special. I've never seen anyone dance with the same grace and power you dance with. And I've _seen_ all kinds of ritual dances, none of them match up to you," Chenle tells him. The same fire burns in his eyes. It reduces the retort on Jisung’s tongue to mere ashes in his mouth.

"Also," Chenle continues, "You're kind of awkward and fumbling sometimes but it's okay, it's cute and you're funny so you get a pass. Your hands also kind of ruin everything you make. Honestly, that takes talent by itself. I didn't know that was possible."

"You also messed up the bingsoo last week," Jisung mutters under his breath. "Is this a pep talk or are you just insulting me?" His brain latches onto one specific word from Chenle’s mini-speal and Jisung can’t help the way his ears burn. He could ride this high all day.

Chenle rolls his eyes. "You also have this kind of… glow? I don't know how to describe it. I guess it's like an aura or something, I've seen them on a couple of people. But none of them are like yours."

It's the first time Chenle has mentioned anything of the sort. Jisung doesn't know much about aura-whatevers but he does know Jeno sees them around magical creatures and the occasional house cat.

"But honestly, that doesn't even matter. The point is, your friends all like you, so you're special to them. You're special to _me_." Right now, Chenle's eyes are so focused it's almost like he's daring Jisung to refute him. A dare he'd lose horribly, like all their others.

In all honesty, Jisung still doesn't quite believe what Chenle has just said. The sinister voice residing in the dark shadows of his mind whispers that Chenle is lying straight through his teeth, that none of his friends think Jisung is _anything_ worthwhile. But, Jisung (mostly) knows that's a lie and he can feel Chenle's ardor and his utter belief in these statements.

"Okay, I guess I'll accept that," Jisung concedes. He knows how to pick his battles. Kind of.

Chenle's face bursts into a grin that rivals the sun. "So that means you'll come with me then? It’ll be an adventure! Just like when we were kids.'

"Yes," Jisung sighs. His heart soars as Chenle's hand finds his own, tugging him forward.

The plan is to spend the weekend in the mountains. Chenle coincidentally gets a day off before that weekend and Jisung gets Shotaro to cover for him at the dance studio since he's already substituted for the other boy on a few occasions. The new plan is for Jisung to sleepover at Chenle's so they can get to the mountains bright and early the next morning. Jisung has his doubts about the second part.

"Have fun. Stay safe!" His mother tells him when Jisung gets back from the dance studio Thursday afternoon, drenched in sweat. He doesn't miss her watchful eyes as he hurriedly washes the grime from his body, stuffing his bags full of clothes. He runs his hand through his hair despite the warmth creeping up the back of his neck as his mother fondly rolls his eyes at him.

 _Calm down_ , Chenle laughs. They don't need to be face to face for Jisung to envision his crinkled eyes and hear his signature snort.

By the time Jisung arrives at Chenle's apartment, he's panting and on the cusp of breaking out into a sweat underneath the sweltering sun. That would be decidedly tragic, considering all he's done so far. Jisung fidgets in front of the light oak door, shifting from side to side as he anxiously waits for Chenle to answer. With each passing second his heartbeat quickens.

He's in the middle of rearranging a stray hair with the front camera of his phone when the door swings open.

"Oh, it's just you," Renjun remarks. He's still dressed in slacks and a button-down, straight from his internship, Jisung presumes.

A slimy, wet thing covers his ankles. Jisung yelps, jumping back into the wall. His hang crashes against the drywall and he winces as the former _thing_ now tiny, fluffy white Bichon races towards him.

"I didn't know you lived here," Jisung says.

"Yeah, Chenle and I are roommates," Renjun says slowly, as though this was a well-known fact, leaning against the doorframe as he watches Jisung make his way forward with an amused smile. His eyes are dangerously dark before he turns around, shouting, "Chenle, your soulmate is over."

The back of Jisung's neck burns as he follows Renjun inside, tiny Bichon nipping at his heels. The inside of Chenle-- and Renjun's-- apartment is dark, shades all drawn. There's a lump on the couch, underneath a mountain of blankets. The white puppy yips, circling around itself before races to tug the blanket down.

Chenle groans, pushing himself upright.

"You have a guest." Renjun rolls his eyes before disappearing down the hallway.

"Your hair looks awful," Jisung says, dropping his backpack on the ground and sliding next to Chenle. He pursues his lips as he carefully combs out the knots and tangles out of the vibrant orange locks.

Chenle yawns, eyelids fluttering close as he picks up his puppy, combing his fingers through the fur. "You got here too quickly. I wanted to nap for longer."

Jisung laughs. Satisfied with his hairdressing skills, he leans back onto his forearms. Chenle's cheeks are still puffy from sleep. There's a soft and innocent look to his face that sends warmth traveling to the pit of Jisung's stomach.

The white puppy jumps in Chenle's lap and Jisung watches as Chenle's face lights with joy. "Daegal likes you."

Jisung blinks. "Wait, _that's_ Daegal?"

"Yeah?"

"I thought she'd be, well you know, bigger." Half of Chenle's adventures had been filled with stories of Daegal, the young _chenghuang_ he found earlier this year. Jisung leans down so he's eye to eye with the small Bichon. He would have expected a young _chenghuang_ to be larger, at least the size of a golden retriever. And much more majestic. Daegal is tiny and a white ball of curly fur, decidedly not mythical-creature like. Just plain cute. Daegal stares back at him. A small, pink tongue darts out, licking Jisung's nose.

Chenle's high-pitched laughter fills the air. "Oh my god, you should have seen your face," he giggles, falling onto his side as he hugs Daegal closer to his chest.

"You're so mean," Jisung sighs without any real bite.

They waste half the afternoon destroying Renjun in video games and the other half playing with Daegal while haphazardly tossing supplies into their bags. After the disaster that’s dinner, because not one out of the three of them can actually cook real food, Renjun retires to his room under the guise of “decompressing”, though Jisung hears him calling Jaemin before his door is even shut.

"I can take the floor," Jisung says quickly, when it's finally the two of them in Chenle's bedroom.

Chenle rolls his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. You're a guest."

"I'm not going to let you sleep on the floor?" Jisung says, aghast.

"Yeah, well, my mom didn't raise a heathen," Chenle sniffs, "And Jaemin would kill me if he found out."

"You don't mean we're going to _share_?" At this point, Jisung feels all cross-eyed like his head is about to burst. Chenle seems far too calm for this entire situation.

"You're the one who said it, not me."

Standing in the middle of Chenle's bedroom, Jisung watches as his friend clambers into bed and pulls back the covers, leaning back against the covers. From the expectant look Chenle gives him, Jisung can tell that he's not going to take no for an answer. Inwardly sighing, Jisung climbs into bed next to Chenle and draws the blanket up to their chins. Thank god he had the foresight to shower. Jisung would rather die then sleep next to the boy he likes all smelly and gross.

"The bed's big enough for the two of us, see?" Chenle says.

They're lying down, face to face, inches away from each other. Not quite close enough for Chenle's breath to fan across Jisung's face but close enough for Jisung to be too aware of how close they are. He's tempted to reach out and tuck a fallen hair back behind Chenle's ear.

"Yeah, but you better not steal all the blankets," Jisung retorts.

"Me? I'm the one who should be worried. I hope you don't kick still," Chenle says.

They fall into a comfortable silence. Jisung can only make out the outline of Chenle's face in the dark but he observes the steady rise and fall of the other boy's chest. He pushes down the urge to extend his legs so they're tangled with Chenle's, to throw his arm over Chenle's waist. 

"Hey, this is just like before. When we were kids," Chenle murmurs, voice laden with sleep.

"Yeah, it is," Jisung whispers back. His entire body buzzes with warmth and familiarity. Here feels safe, here feels like home.

They depart early the next morning, warm breakfast bought by Renjun scarfed down in mere minutes, eyes still heavy with sleep. They nap on the bus that will take them to the base of the mountain. Chenle uses Jisung's chest as a pillow and Jisung accidentally uses Chenle's shoulder as his personal drool collector.

By the time they arrive at the base of the mountain, the only ones to do so, the sky has gone from a dusty pink to a bright blue filled with the sun's golden rays. Jisung squints as they stumble out of the bus, hugging Daegal to his chest. Chenle yawns loudly, stretching as he meets Jisung's eyes. His eyes sparkle with anticipation and excitement. It's going to be an adventure.

They begin their hike in comfortable silence, the thick leaves from the trees offering a nice shade in contrast to the scintillating sun. It's still relatively early, so inside the forest is still cool and few creatures move about. Jisung can even spot the small drops of dew on some of the grass. Daegal still sleeps in Jisung's arms, and he takes extra care not to jostle her.

About an hour after they've started, Daegal awakens. She leaps from Jisung's arms, bounding forward without a single care. Jisung stares in horror, arm extended to catch her in case of something bad, but she lands without an issue, circling Chenle's feet and yipping.

"I can carry her next time," Chenle offers, fishing out Daegal's food from his backpack.

Jisung doesn't know how to say it's okay, he doesn't mind. Not really, anyways. So he says nothing instead, watching as Chenle nuzzles Daegal's nose.

They begin to periodically stop and gather the herbs that Donghyuck requested. Jisung recognizes some of the basic ones from school but Chenle spots even more, teaching Jisung how to find the burdock and how to pick the lavender. Within a few attempts, Jisung can find and collect the plants on his own.

"You're a natural," Chenle remarks when they've finally decided to rest.

He passes one of the water bottles to Jisung and Jisung gratefully accepts it, guzzling down the ice-cold liquid. Even with the cover from all the foliage, the sun's scorching rays still penetrate the gaps. The dirt below them practically radiates heat and Jisung wishes he had one of those fancy, charmed shirts that soaked up sweat and bad smell.

"Only because you helped," Jisung says.

"No, I'm being serious. I mean, I _am_ a good teacher, but do you know how long it took until I could gather herbs without crushing them?" Chenle exclaims. "Kun would always scold me. At least I was better than Yangyang."

Chenle then dives into the story of the time he, Yangyang, and Renjun almost set fire to one of their classrooms. Jisung watches the way Chenle's entire body moves as he speaks, body overflowing with energy. Jisung listens with ease, taking care to memorize the way the sun catches Chenle's face. He tucks the image into a special corner of his mind.

The rest of the day passes similarly. Stopping to feed Daegal treats and to snack when their stomachs growl from hunger, bickering about how much water to add to the pot when making ramen. As Jisung carefully crosses a log bridge, he thinks he wants the summer to last forever.

By the time night falls, Jisung's fingers are red and covered in dozens of small cuts.

"I'm kind of shit at healing magic," Chenle tells him, showing his own fingertips which are similarly red.

"Maybe you should practice," Jisung teases as some of the cuts fade. Chenle only rolls his eyes and pinches Jisung in retaliation.

They set up camp together, squabbling over which branches would be better to use to start a fire and Chenle sighing loudly when he needs to readjust the talismans Jisung's laid out around them. Daegal just watches from the side, wagging her tail. Jisung is pleased because he manages to coerce Chenle into charming the sweat and grime from their clothes before they climb into their sleeping bags.

Neither of them say a word about how close their sleeping bags are to each other. Jisung doesn't dare break the strange silence that's fallen over them as they stare into each other's eyes, laying side by side. Is this what it means to be in love? To have his heartbeat quicken at the smallest action? To have a million words pounding against the dam in his throat, though none of them will come out?

"You don't really talk about other guys from your high school," Chenle says suddenly, "Are you not friends with them?"

Jisung shrugs, "Not really. I don't really have friends besides Jaemin and Jeno and Donghyuck. The same babysitter used to watch us so I'm not too sure if they even count." Jisung never really bothered to get to know the other kids. He was too awkward, too shy.

"I always feel like I talk to a lot of people but not many of them really know who I am. Or want to know," Chenle confides. His eyes dart nervously between Jisung and the fire, gauging Jisung's reaction.

"It's like you talk and hang out, but at the end of the day you come away knowing nothing."

"I'm not sure I even want most people to know me," Chenle admits, "It's scary."

Jisung is all too familiar with what Chenle means. It’s far easier to go unnoticed, living each day with little change. Jisung doesn’t like it when people notice him, doesn’t _want_ people to notice him. He passed high school without too much of a hitch and really, it’s not so bad. To be stripped raw with his innermost thoughts and emotions is a million times more terrifying than the dark. But for some reason, with the fire dancing in Chenle’s warm eyes, Jisung doesn’t feel afraid.

"Scarier than the dark?" Jisung asks, grinning, because he can't resist.

"Maybe," Chenle scoffs. Then, as though it’s an afterthought, "I don't mind if it's you, though." Jisung reaches out for Chenle's hand and squeezes. The only answer Jisung needs to give.

He gets shaken awake by Chenle the next day, birdsong filling the trees and a cerulean sky with a few smears of white. Jisung rekindles the fire with a small snap of his fingers, small sparks bursting out. Amazingly enough, they don't burn their breakfast. Soon, they're on their way through the forest, meandering along an invisible path that only Chenle seems to know with Daegal bounding along beside them.

There seems to be a different sort of energy in the air today. The cicadas hum with increased vigor, and the grass is green and flowers so vivid they give Jisung a headache. The headache continues until midday when they stumble across a cave of some sort.

"Do you think anything's actually inside there?" Chenle inquires, sticking his head into the entrance of the cave.

The darkness envelope's Chenle's head, as though consuming his body. Jisung's heart leaps into his throat with unreasonable fear. He can't explain the way his palms turn clammy or how his legs feel frozen to this very spot. There's something terrifying about that cave.

"I don’t think it’s safe," Jisung says. So many unknowns, so many dangers.

Chenle pulls his head out and Jisung releases a sigh, though his relief is short-lived. "Maybe we can find some rare plants or creatures there. It'll be fun."

Jisung wouldn't call venturing into a dark and ominous cave _fun_ , but Chenle has been restless since the morning. He can tell that this whole summer, Chenle has been itching for something exciting, something more than their daily humdrum lives.

"I guess..."

Chenle snatches Jisung's hand, intertwining their fingers. "You'll be fine. You have me _and_ Daegal." He looks at Jisung expectantly.

Jisung takes a deep breath, squeezing his eyes shut as he takes the first step into the cave. It's like he's crossed into a different realm, the air cooler on the inside. He shivers as he takes another step forward. It's like he's stepping through something cold and viscous.

"See? We're fine," Chenle reassures him. He doesn't say anything about how tightly Jisung is clutching his hand.

Jisung scoops up Daegal, taking slow deep breaths as he follows Chenle. They have a small light that Chenle's made but beyond the rough gray walls and Chenle's back, Jisung can't see much else. Daegal licks his cheek, tongue warm and wet but comforting.

The further they walk, the more uneasy Jisung feels. He doesn’t like the way the shadows lurk in the corner, like they’re going to pounce on him at any second. There’s something about the air in the cave as well. It tastes stagnant, like it’s been devoid of life. 

Soon, Daegal begins to squirm in Jisung's chest. Her barks grow louder and more desperate.

"Hey, hey," Chenle hushes, as he drops Jisung's hand, reaching for Daegal's head.

"I don't know what's up with her," Jisung says.

Daegal protracts her claws as Jisung attempts to keep her still, the sharp edges digging into the flesh of Jisung's forearms. Jisung hisses at the sharp pain, releasing his arms. Daegal quickly scampers into the darkness and Chenle sprints after her. There's no more light and Jisung is left alone, in the dark.

Jisung pulls the spare flashlight out of his backpack. The light is feeble and dim but at least he can see. He swallows the fear snaking his way up his throat, ignoring the way his heart races in his chest and the shadows follow him no matter how quickly his legs move.

"Chenle!" Jisung shouts as he continues to run. Why isn't there any sound besides his own footsteps and breathing? They weren't that far ahead of him; he should be able to hear them unless there's something else at play.

He finally spots a thin light in front of him, the same color as the ball of light Chenle created earlier. Jisung forces his legs to move faster.

"Chenle!" He shouts as a familiar silhouette grows closer. He skids to a stop, crashing into Chenle's back

"Jisung, don't," Chenle says, voice quivering. He doesn't turn around to look at Jisung but remains firmly planted to the ground.

Fear has overtaken Jisung’s entire body, starting from the bottom of his toes and spreading up to the tips of his fingers. It feels strangely like he’s being stared at and glued to the spot, staring back into a pair of wrinkled, yellow eyes but in front of Jisung is only dirt and gravel. Jisung feels paralyzed, frozen rock solid in front of a monster he’s only ever read about. He’s fought other magical beasts before but none of them compare to this. Back then, there hadn’t been so much at stake. It’s easy to be fearless when it’s just him. It’s easy to be reckless when there’s nothing-- no one-- to worry about. The emotions clog his throat, choking him. It’s like there’s more than one person’s fear filling his body.

Jisung slowly raises his head. He smells it before he sees it. Rotting, rancid breath. The smell of ammonia and blood. Giddy laughter bounces off the walls. When Jisung looks up, terror locks his body in place. Nine heads, each different from one another, gleeful smiles wider than they should be, as though they had been cut on the human faces with a knife. The heads are all connected to a long snake's body. There's a hiss on the ground beside him, a rattle from behind him, and Jisung doesn't dare look down.

"Daegal sensed the _xiangliu_ first," Chenle says, but he's still staring straight in front of him. "She panicked."

Lying to the side of the _xiangliu_ is Daegal. She's in her true form, long, white tail swishing feebly as her antlers touch the ground. Her foreleg is dyed a deep, dark crimson. The overpowering smell of iron wasn't from the _xiangliu_ but from Daegal. When Jisung looks back up, he sees the smear of blood on the mouths of two of the nine heads.

"You should go back," Chenle says. He raises his left hand towards the monster, white light gathering in his palm, and pulls back his right, a long spear materializing from thin air.

"And leave you? Are you stupid?" Jisung shouts.

"I don't want you to get hurt," Chenle yells before he charges.

The white light explodes and Jisung is forced to look away. When the blinding light finally recedes, Chenle is standing between the _xiangliu_ and Daegal, clutching his right arm as his chest heaves. The blood on the ground isn't the monster's.

"I'm not going to let you get killed," Jisung yells as Chenle jumps to the side, dodging the _xiangliu_ 's bald head.

Unfortunately, one of the _xiangliu_ 's other heads are right there. Jisung watches as it sinks its fangs into Chenle's leg and Chenle howls in pain. Phantom pain seizes Jisung’s own leg but when he looks down, there isn’t any blood. Daegal hobbles onto all fours, baring her teeth and waving her tail. The _xiangliu_ pays her no mind, simply using its tail to fling her to the side.

Chenle screams, the sound sending chills down Jisung's back. He rushes to Daegal's side, scooping her up in his arms, spear forgotten. The _xiangliu_ 's tail rattles as it slowly makes its way towards Chenle. One of the heads turns around, grin widening when it meets Jisung's gaze. Jisung's stomach drops. He can't breathe, can't move. Chenle and Daegal. They're in danger.

"Stop it!" He hollers, grasping part of the _xiangliu's_ tail in front of him. He grits his teeth, drawing upon all his energy as he sends out the most powerful shock he can manage. It's not enough to kill a bug but it works. The _xiangliu's_ eyes are on him. The heads frown and Jisung doesn't even have time to blink before his back hits the hard stone wall.

He groans as he pushes himself off the ground, vision unfocused. In front of him is Chenle's spear. Jisung's body feels heavy and the world around him spins. Chenle's back is to the _xiangliu_ and his focus is on Daegal, a soft white glow flowing from Chenle to Daegal as Daegal’s wound begins to close.

"Chenle, you idiot!" Jisung throws the spear-- he has no idea how spears work-- towards the _xiangliu's_ back, but the reptilian monster continues to slither forward. Panicking, Jisung uses his last bit of energy to scramble forward, jumping in between Chenle and the monster. 

The _xiangliu's_ heads draw closer, hissing as they spray their foul, sulfuric breaths into Jisung's face. Jisung throws up his arms as a shield.

"Jisung?" Chenle turns around, in confusion.

A thunderous roar. Screams and wails of agony fill the cave. Someone is dying.

Chenle's panicked face is the last thing Jisung sees before he passes out.

"Oh my god, you're up," Donghyuck's voice says.

Jisung's nose starts working before his eyes do; the first thing he notices is the sharp smell of alcohol and disinfectant. The second is Jeno's distraught expression slowly fading into one of relief. The third is that Jisung's hand hurts because of how tightly Jaemin is gripping it.

"What happened?" Jisung wants to ask, but it comes out more like a "Whemfjkljfad?" He tries to move forward to sit up but there's an invisible weight on his chest, forcing him to stay back down. His limbs ache.

"You and Chenle fought a _xiangliu_ ," Jaemin says.

"You have to tell him the other thing too," Donghyuck shoots Jaemin a small glare. "Apparently after you got thrown into a wall like a ragdoll-- Chenle's words, not mine-- you appeared in front of Chenle and the _xiangliu_ like a fucking Class A idiot and nearly barbecued the monster with lightning."

"Oh," Jisung wheezes, but it's like a knife in his chest. The lights are too bright, black dots swarming the edges of his vision. Jeno pushes him back down to recline.

That would explain the smell of scorched flesh right before Jisung passed out. God, he doesn't think he can ever forget how the smell of fire and rot filled his nostrils back in the cave. Jisung gags at the memory, leaning over to vomit onto the floor.

"I'm going to get Kun," Jaemin announces as Jisung dry heaves. Jeno rubs circles into Jisung's back. God, his throat is so dry it hurts. Jaemin's lips are pressed into a thin line as he exits without another word. Jisung would say something if he could stop gagging.

"He's been going through it," Donghyuck whispers, "You didn't see him when you first got back. I've never seen Nana so pissed before."

"Just give him some time," Jeno adds, giving Jisung a small smile.

Jisung coughs, gratefully accepting the water bottle from Jeno. The cool liquid is a relief to his throat. By the time he's finished half of it, the pounding in his head has receded and the fluorescent lights aren't as unbearable.

"What about Chenle? And Daegal?" Jisung croaks. "Where are they?"

Jeno and Donghyuck exchange a Look.

"They're fine, if that's what you're asking. Chenle basically had a few scratches and Daegal has almost recovered." Donghyuck says carefully.

"Where are they?" Jisung demands. _Chenle?_ he tries. No response. Disappointment settles over Jisung like a heavy blanket.

"Jaemin's a bit upset right now because of what happened. Chenle wouldn't leave your side until Kun finally kicked him out. He hasn't been back because Jaemin's been here," Jeno explains, looking extremely guilty.

"You weren't supposed to _tell him_ that they're fighting," Donghyuck gasps.

He moves to elbow Jeno but Jeno has always had good reflexes. It's when they're in the middle of their scuffle that the door swings open and Jaemin and an unfamiliar man enter the room.

The man's name is Kun, the same Kun that Chenle always speaks fondly of, and Jisung is in one of the sick rooms at the summer camp that Donghyuck and Chenle once went to. Apparently, Jisung's been comatose for almost a week. This was most likely due to the lightning storm-- not just a singular lightning bolt-- he created. After he passed out, Chenle quickly killed the _xiangliu_ and dragged Jisung out of the cave, contacting Renjun and Kun for help. By the time they arrived, Jisung's condition was critical. Chenle had spent the entire time channeling energy into Jisung just to maintain his heartbeat. Kun relays the information to Jisung calmly and matter-of-factly.

Jisung's focus fades in and out as Kun goes on to explain that he thinks Jisung somehow drew on Chenle's powers through their bond since Jisung's magical levels don't seem any different from before. They’re going to have to do tests just to make sure, but only after Jisung recovers. Honestly, Jisung couldn’t care less. His eyelids grow heavy as Kun's voice continues to drone on about recovery and how their soul bond is one of the strongest, probably the strongest, to ever exist.

Jisung spends the next week confined to his bed, as per Kun's orders. His friends come and visit him. All except one. Donghyuck brings the latest gossip in his life, more often than not about that same classmate called Mark from Canada. He always claims to hate Mark, lamenting about how he's never met a person who could annoy him through text the way Mark does. Jeno brings his laptop when Jisung can finally move his arms and they usually spend their time gaming together. Jaemin sometimes talks to Jisung when he brings meals but other times he falls silent, not daring to meet Jisung's gaze. Jisung wants to tell him that it's okay, it was an _accident_ , but the words always get lodged in his throat.

Mostly, Jisung is bored. Being bedridden isn't as fun as it sounds. He longs to move his limbs, glide across the floor, but if he sits up too quickly his vision will blur and he sometimes starts wheezing. On several occasions, Jisung tries to reach out to Chenle but it's like Chenle has put up a brick wall and Jisung keeps ramming his head into it. The static from the other end is what hurts the most.

"You know, Chenle was sobbing when we found you guys," Renjun says, packing up his laptop, on one of his rare visits without Jaemin. Renjun usually works on stuff from his internship like the tryhard he is, and doesn't overcompensate by stuffing the silence with words they both can't stand to hear. Jisung likes him for that.

"I've never seen Chenle cry before," Renjun adds, like an afterthought. "Take care, Jisung."

By the time it's Jisung's last night in the hospital, he's become well-acquainted with the plain white walls and his own thoughts. If he believed he overthought everything before, this entire week has proved him wrong. It's boring without a friend who will magically appear at his bedside.

The night before Jisung is officially discharged, he jolts awake. The room is pitch-black, like in the cave. The shadows loom over him. There's a corner of the room that’s darker than the rest. Jisung pulls the thin blankets to his chin.

"Chenle?" He ventures.

No response.

"I know it's you," he tries again. He doesn't know how he knows that the strange shape sitting on the chair in the corner of the room is Chenle, but something inside of him just tells him.

Still, Chenle doesn't respond. Two sets of quiet, quickened breaths fill the room.

The pent up frustration has been bubbling inside of Jisung for the past week and he grips the bed sheets as he tries to contain the emotion inside of him. He tries to prevent it from spilling over, so Chenle can't sense how aggravated he's been, but then again, why should he? His friend, his best friend, has been ignoring him when all Jisung wanted was to talk to him.

There's a sharp exhale. "I didn't know that," Chenle breathes shakily.

"You're a dumbass," Jisung says, but he's grinning.

Chenle doesn't respond with any of his usual quips, instead moving to sit on the chair next to the bed. Jisung reaches for Chenle's hand and wraps his own hands around it. Chenle is warm. Chenle is safe.

"You know, in times of great distress a soul bond can enable one person to appear," Chenle says carefully. He clutches Jisung's hand like it's his lifeline, his entire body shaking. It's still too dark to make out his face.

"Is that what happened when we were little?"

"Yeah, something like that." Chenle pauses. "I think that may have happened in the cave too. When you appeared in front of the _xiangliu_. It was almost like you teleported."

"You know it's not your fault, right?" Jisung asks, searching through the darkness in an attempt to meet Chenle's eyes. He's unsuccessful.

Silence falls between them, expanding until it presses against Jisung's chest. It pushes against them, driving a wedge between them despite their proximity. Jisung tries to convey his longing, his forgiveness, his empathy. Chenle's body shakes but still, he says nothing.

"I'm tired," Jisung announces.

The chair screeches against the linoleum tiles as Chenle pulls away, hand slipping out of Jisung's grasp. Jisung tightens his hold, tugging Chenle back.

"Stay with me?" He begs, "Just like old times? It'll help me sleep better."

"You're insufferable," Chenle sighs but he climbs into the tiny hospital bed anyway. They jostle against one another, the hospital bed _truly_ tiny and meant for one growing teenager, before settling into a comfortable position.

Jisung can finally make out the hint of Chenle’s eyes and he can hear Chenle’s quiet, shallow breaths. Jisung brushes a stray hair out of Chenle's eyes, hand lingering on Chenle's cheek.

"I'm sorry," Chenle says. "I put you in danger."

"It's okay, I volunteered."

"But still--"

"Chenle," Jisung says, "It's okay. I mean, I was scared out of my mind but it's not your fault, alright?"

"I still don't know if I can ever forgive myself for that," Chenle confesses, eyes flickering down to the space in between them. _I thought I was going to lose you_ , Jisung hears.

Waves of emotion crash down on Jisung. Chenle's realization when he saw what Jisung just did-- his desperation as he alternated between dragging Jisung out of the cave and carrying him on his back. The fear that ensnared his heart when all he could do was wait. Jisung feels the guilt wracking Chenle's mind for the past week, the anger and shame for putting being so confident in his own abilities and putting Jisung in danger.

Jisung knows that Chenle is one of the most stubborn human beings on the planet. No matter how much he's conveyed his message tonight, his friend won't accept it. So, seized by impulse, he leans forward. First, Chenle’s lips stiffen, then, his entire body.

"Oh my god, I'm so so sorry I--" Jisung blabbers when he pulls back.

"Jisung, _shut up_ ," Chenle says, tugging him forward so their lips crash against each other. It's messy and there's far more spit than there should be but it's Chenle. Happiness overcomes him, and Jisung smiles against Chenle's lips.

"Chenle, I--"

"Will you be my boyfriend? Sorry, wait, I should be asking you on a date first. Do you want to go on a date tomorrow?" Chenle yelps after Jisung flicks his forehead.

Jisung pouts, "I wanted to ask you on a date first! I was working up to it for half the summer!"

"Well, you should have done it faster," Chenle rolls his eyes, tangling their legs together. All Jisung can think about is how close Chenle is, how soft his lips were despite their roughness. He's never felt so safe and secure before. With Chenle by his side, Jisung thinks he could do anything.

"That was a yes though, right?" Chenle asks after a few heartbeats

"Yes," Jisung says fondly, "to both questions."

The air conditioning unit inside the ice cream parlor broke last week, so Jisung has no choice to endure the hot air blown from side to side inside the shop. The seats are gross and coated with the sweat of people before them, so he stands to the side, waiting for Chenle to finish picking out his flavors. When Chenle happily receives his cone, he bounds towards Jisung with a smile that makes the sun pale in comparison. Jisung doesn't even mind that his wallet is that much thinner.

"Cookies and Cream? Again?" Chenle wrinkles his nose.

"It's a classic," Jisung shrugs. "Hey, you have your own," He protests as Chenle leans down to take a lick of his. Jisung pushes Chenle's face back with his hand, ignoring the way Chenle yelps when Jisung’s finger almost pokes out his eye.

"Trade a bite of yours for a bite of mine?" Chenle asks, cheekily. As if Jisung could ever refuse that sweet smile and those fluttering lashes. This happens every time they go to the store.

Still, Jisung needs to put up somewhat of a front. In the month they've started dating, Chenle has grown increasingly bold with how he pushes Jisung's boundaries. He constantly coerces Jisung into giving him bites of his food, buying him the occasional treat after work. It's okay though-- Chenle has paid for a couple of dates at upscale restaurants that Jisung would never _dream_ of stepping in. He also forces Chenle to hold his hand sometimes (mostly at night) and makes him game with him until sunrise on their days off. Okay, so maybe the second thing doesn't actually need that much convincing.

Sighing, Jisung offers his ice cream cone. Chenle pulls back with a satisfied grin, offering up his own ice cream. The rich, creamy flavor of cheesecake explodes in his mouth. He's going to have to try that one next time.

When they go back outside, the heat becomes unbearable. It's like stepping on hot coals. At least inside, the sun wasn't in their eyes and Jisung's skin didn't feel like it was slowly peeling away. His ice cream slowly starts to melt down his cone, sweet liquid running onto his fingers.

"My flight's tomorrow," Chenle says.

Jisung knows this. Jeno's going to drive him, Renjun, and Chenle to the airport because Jaemin can't get out of work. It's been an invisible counter hanging over them the entire summer.

"I mean, "Jisung says, scuffing his shoes against the concrete sidewalk, "You'll be back when university starts. It's just for a bit."

Chenle agrees, "I'll be back." Then, "Promise you'll keep in touch?"

Jisung's university is only an hour away by train from Chenle's. They've discussed visits for the first month of the semester. They've already set up times to FaceTime next week, after Chenle returns to Shanghai.

"What? Scared of a little distance?" Jisung elbows Chenle's side but his voice cracks at the end so it comes out all wrong.

"No," Chenle scoffs, "I'm not scared of anything." He reaches for Jisung's hand, sticky from the ice cream, and intertwines their fingers.

"Mostly anything," Jisung amends, heart hammering in his chest. He leans forward, so his forehead rests against Chenle, bridging the small space between them.

As the summer has drawn to a close, Jisung can no longer ignore the anxiety stirring in his stomach. Both because of the start of university-- where he knows almost no one, a brand new stage of his life-- and because Chenle will be gone. They still have their bond, but it'll be different. Something new, something unknown.

Jisung kisses Chenle, long and slow, pouring his emotions into every channel he has. Chenle reaches up to cradle the back of Jisung's head, opening his heart for Jisung to read.

"You aren't going to get rid of me that easily," Jisung breathes once they've pulled apart.

“Wish I could,” Chenle laughs but his smile tells Jisung otherwise. 

The summer days will draw to a close but for now, the sun still shines high in the sky. They’ll have to face new hurdles, new adventures, and all sorts of brand new fears, but it’s okay, because they’ll have each other.

**Author's Note:**

> \+ the last time i wrote an action scene was years ago i apologize  
> \+ [ here](https://www.cbaigui.com/post-3034.html) [is](https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Creatures_and_Beings_of_China_Folklore_and_Lower_Mythology) [some](https://www.zcool.com.cn/work/ZNDA4MTM4MDg=.html) info on a chenghuang, and [ here](https://images.saymedia-content.com/.image/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_700/MTc0NjQ3NzI1Mzc4MjUwNTEx/88-chinese-legendary-creatures.webp) [is](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiangliu) a xiangliu  
> \+ if you know me this fic is very on brand LOL  
> \+ pls feel free to say hi on [cc](https://curiouscat.me/starsgazing) or [twt](https://twitter.com/eyepatchboys)!! ;~;


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